Buffalo Bills News - April 15, 2003

Win a Mike Williams Autographed Football [4:21 PM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
Win an Authentic NFL Game Ball autographed by Mike Williams. Selected by the Bills with the fourth overall pick in the 2002 Draft, Williams was Buffalo's highest draft pick since taking Bruce Smith #1 overall in 1985.

Watch the Draft Live [10:20 AM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
Enter to win a trip for two (2) from Buffalo to New York City to watch the NFL Draft at Madison Square Garden on April 26th, courtesy of the Buffalo Bills and JetBlue. Winner will be notified on or about April 21, 2003. Register now before you miss your exclusive chance to attend the 2003 NFL Draft.

Player Profile: Offensive Lineman Ron Boldin [9:53 AM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
Signed by the Bills on 1/24/03…allocated to the NFL Europe where he played for the Frankfurt Galaxy…originally signed with the Washington Redskins as an undrafted rookie free agent on 4/26/02…released by the Redskins during their 2002 training camp.

April 14, 2003

Forever A Bill [5:08 PM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
When the former GM of the Bills died on Friday, he left behind legacy that will live through the NFL forever. His talent for plucking anonymous players from out-of-the-way schools is legendary. His competitiveness was unmatched - the man was Chris Spielman in a sport coat.

Athletes in Action Breakfast [2:18 PM]TBD reports:
TBD Special Photographer Cindy Fox was at Athletes in Action Breakfast to honor Frank and others on the 10th anniversity of the greatest comeback and has provided pictures of some of those in attendence including Frank Reich, Jim Kelly, Travis Brown, Marlon Kerner, and ex-Bills TE Jay Riemersma.

Noll might have rebuilt Bills [1:16 PM]Shout! reports:
'Did you know Chuck Noll considered coaching the Bills in 1969? Noll served as defensive coordinator for Don Shula's Baltimore Colts team, which had just lost to the Jets, 16-7, in Super Bowl III. After the game, Buffalo and New England offered Noll head coaching positions, but he instead chose to coach Pittsburgh...'.

Bills Hosting Clinic For High School & College Coaches [1:13 PM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
'For the third straight year, the Bills coaching staff will be hosting the Buffalo Bills Coaches Clinic for local high school and college coaches. It will be held on Friday, May 9th and Saturday May 10th in the Bills Fieldhouse and training facility in Orchard Park.'

Former Bills exec Butler earned chance to live his lifelong dream [1:02 PM]Niagara Falls Reporter reports:
'His ability to find talent in the football hinterlands made names like Don Beebe of Chadron State, Phil Hansen of North Dakota and Marcellus Wiley of Columbia a big reason the Bills averaged 10 wins per year during Butler's 14 seasons in their front office.'

Butler made friends, players feel special [1:01 PM]NFL.com reports:
Marv Levy once described John as a guy who builds morale. I witnessed that morale-building outside the cafeteria every afternoon. He would shake the player's hand, ask how practice was going, inquire about a nagging injury, tell me a little funny story about the player to make him laugh, and ask how everyone at home was. He was old fashioned and he made them all feel special. The veterans who had been at other places before Buffalo knew it was special, and they knew the difference was John Butler. Rarely do NFL players have daily conversations with the top club executive.

Butler's passion for football was unmatched [1:00 PM]NFL.com reports:
I will say that the pressures of being a GM hardened John a bit through the years. His job and everything associated with it became increasingly personal. He looked at players and coaches as family, and would staunchly defend them against criticism. He found parting ways with a player, a standard part of a GM's duties, emotionally painful and, at times, downright unbearable.

Bills tryout DB Corey Sawyer [9:14 AM]Arena Football reports:
Ordway, who was with the Storm during training camp and was signed to the team's practice squad on February 21, will replace [Corey] Sawyer in the lineup this weekend. Sawyer was placed on the Storm's exempt list after missing the week while working out for the NFL's Buffalo Bills.

April 13, 2003

Bills Try To Better Their Other Half [1:22 PM]Tampa Tribune reports:
'``You always hear about trying to build your team with speed, especially defensively,'' Williams said. ``You want to set land speed records, and that's helped in the kind of guys we've brought in here. We like the fact we can pose some matchup problems for the offense.'''

Bills could be in a rush to land D-linemen in draft [9:20 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'The Bills could use another option in their pass rush. At one end they have Aaron Schobel, who is developing into a nice player. He had 6 1/2 sacks as a rookie and 8 1/2 last season. At the other end is Marcus Jones, whom President and General Manager Tom Donahoe shrewdly signed in November. Jones tore cartilage in his knee last August and was cut by the Bucs at midseason.'

Butler stuck to the basics - family and football - to the end [9:19 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'The Bills were a team of stars in the glory years, but Butler and his scouts had a rare gift for identifying late-round picks - Jeff Wright, Marvcus Patton, Carlton Bailey, Mike Lodish - the list goes on and on. He and A.J. Smith, the pro personnel guy he took with him to San Diego, had a knack for plucking the right free agents, too.'

April 12, 2003

Chargers' GM dies at 56 [9:57 AM]North County Times reports:
'Spurred by Butler's deft drafting, the Bills went 140-83 in that period ---- second only to the San Francisco 49ers ---- and made the playoffs 10 times, including the four Super Bowls from 1991 through '94.'

Chargers will miss Butler [9:56 AM]North County Times reports:
'Smith, Butler's right-hand man and confidant going back to their days as scouts for the Chicago Blitz of the United States Football League in 1982, may find himself in charge of more than the draft. He has a good chance of becoming the Chargers' general manager permanently, a team source said. Smith was said to have been devastated by Butler's death and declined to be interviewed through a Chargers spokesman.'

There was more to Butler than football [9:55 AM]North County Times reports:
'His public image of tough, ex-Marine, old-school football mind was not the man I came to know in the last year. I found him to be funny but very focused on his work. And there was more depth to this man than I would have ever imagined.'

Fond thoughts of Butler are plentiful [9:12 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'"It's one of the saddest days in Bills history," said Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly. "It's sad. But it's really not up to us. The good Lord above picks the time when you leave, and I guess it was John's time. The toughest thing for me is I know how much of a fighter he is and how much he always had that never-say-die attitude."'

Bills owner to receive award [9:11 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'Wilson is being honored for his commitment to the area and his philanthropy. He donated $25,000 to food banks in Buffalo and Rochester last holiday season and plays a leading role in the team's relationships with Women's and Children's Hospital, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, the United Way and Ronald McDonald House.'

Butler never lost sense of humor [6:52 AM]D and C reports:
'It would be nice to see his name affixed to the Wall of Fame at Ralph Wilson Stadium some day in the not-so-distant future.'

Butler was a great GM, a good friend and ‘way cool’ [6:51 AM]Olean Times Herald reports:
'The exact circumstances of his exit from Buffalo and hiring in San Diego are murky.Wilson maintains that Butler had made up his mind to leave and no amount of money would have kept him with the Bills. Members of the front office say he’d have stayed had he been paid a competitive wage rather than being nickeled and dimed. No matter, 27 months ago, Butler, without a contract in Buffalo, signed with the Chargers.'

'We have lost a giant' [6:50 AM]San Diego Union Tribune reports:
'Levy said Butler showed up for his interview in Buffalo with a sheaf of paperwork detailing how he would conduct himself in the post for which he was being considered.'

Butler earned respect right to the very end [6:49 AM]San Diego Union Tribune reports:
'Said Marcellus Wiley, who also played for Butler in Buffalo and San Diego: "Coming into the league, he had tremendous faith in me. He respected my potential and my work ethic and we grew to have a great relationship. I really respected him because he was so passionate. Through the years I've grown to love and respect him as a man . . . I'll always remember John as a guy who wanted you to do your job and do it the right way. It's going to be a tremendous loss to the football world, but an even bigger loss to humanity."'

Butler's widow cherishes final days [6:48 AM]San Diego Union Tribune reports:
'The Butlers knew the end was coming. Tests Monday revealed lymphoma in John Butler's body more aggressive than doctors had ever seen.'

He was a tough man and ran team same way [6:47 AM]San Diego Union Tribune reports:
'"John was a tough guy," Spanos was saying yesterday, "but he was a softie, too, especially when it came to his daughter. Andrea was the apple of his eye."'

Bledsoe drops back on price of his house [5:46 AM]Metro West Daily News reports:
'Eight months after listing his Medfield home for $9 million, former New England Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe has yet to sell the house, and recently cut the price to $6.5 million.'

A fond farewell [5:45 AM]CNN/SI reports:
'What I'll remember about John Butler is that he was a man who seemed to care most about his family and his football team. And one who was predisposed to fight the good fight. No matter the arena.'

Butler loved his job, and it showed [5:44 AM]Fox Sports reports:
'While teams like San Francisco and Dallas faded away, Buffalo continued to stay on top through the 1990s — largely because Butler and his scouts were able to replace aging veterans with talent acquired through the draft. There was Eric Moulds. And Reuben Brown. And Peerless Price, Antoine Winfield, Sam Cowart and Marcellus Wiley.'